Thanks to the generosity of a member, the Supreme Council obtained this well preserved, leather apron that dates back to 1789, making it one of the oldest in the collection.
New additions to the Library and Museum Collection have arrived at the Supreme Council, S.J. Following the January-February Journal article, “Treasured Textiles” that highlighted the apron exhibit at the House of the Temple, readers have responded with generosity by donating some of their family members’ old Masonic regalia.
One unique donation was a large leather apron with an intricately detailed printed front. Its decorations employ several Masonic symbols including the checkered floor, the two columns, the sun and the moon with stars and many others. The most interesting symbol on the apron is the crest in the center. This crest is from the English Grand Lodge of the Antients which joined with their rivals the “Moderns” to form the United Grand Lodge of England in 1813. This symbol helps us to date the apron to 1789, making it one of the oldest in our collection.
Another new addition comes from Joe Ann Waldeck in Red Oak, Texas. It is a leather apron with a printed square and compass and a rayed eye, trimmed with blue silk; it dates from the late 1800s to the early 1900s. Waldeck’s father was Winston Marshall Brook who had been a physician in Lampasas, Texas. The time period of the apron suggests that it may have belonged to Ms. Waldeck’s grandfather.
Aprons have not been the only additions to the collection. We have also received collars, hats, cuffs, and various Masonic pins, jewels, and medallions. The generosity of our readers has been wonderful. It is part of our mission to keep and preserve these items for future generations to enjoy and study. We intend on furthering the scholarship of Freemasonry by taking care of these items and preserving the stories that accompany them. The Supreme Council continues to accept donations of Masonic regalia and artifacts. Please call Heather Calloway at 202-777-3108 for more information.
A Sincere Thank You to Our Recent Donors
Frederic J. Byers
Warren Cadenbach
Donald C. Clay
Dorothy Schwengel Cosby
Lemuel L. Dilley
Mitchell R. and Erin Miller
William D. Mueller |
Roger W. Peak
Marilyn Potter Oppenborn
Steber
Joe Ann Waldeck
Charles Walther
York Rite Bodies of Albuquerque,
New Mexico |
Bro. William Clark (left) receives his Pillar of Charity award from Ill. James Taylor, 33°, SGIG in Oregon, and Ms. Barbara Golden, Esq., Director of Planned Giving.